[Amended 4-28-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-04]
It is the intent and purpose of this article to:
A.
Encourage and permit signs which, by uniformity of lettering and
design and by limitation of size and number, enhance the Township
environment and are compatible with its rural character.
A.
Application for permit. Application for a permit shall be made upon
forms furnished by the Zoning Official. A sign permit is required
for the erection, re-erection or alteration of a permanent sign, excluding
repainting or relettering of existing signs.
B.
Fees. The fee for a permit to construct a sign shall be as provided
in § 30-10C(11) of this Code.
C.
Exemptions. The following signs do not require a permit and are exempt
from the provisions of this article:
(1)
Nameplates and professional practice signs, not exceeding two square
feet.
(2)
Tablets indicating the name of a building and the date of erection,
not exceeding three square feet.
(3)
Public signs erected by the state, county or municipality in the
performance of a public duty.
(4)
Temporary signs indicating garage sales and other similar activities
not exceeding 10 square feet. Such signs shall be removed within 24
hours after the event has taken place.
(5)
Signs which are located for policing or parking purposes, not exceeding
two square feet.
(6)
Nonilluminated window signs whose total area does not exceed 25%
of the total window area.
(7)
Real estate for sale, rent or lease signs, not exceeding eight square
feet.
(8)
Signs erected upon the premises of houses of worship and charitable
and nonprofit organizations, not exceeding 10 square feet.
(9)
Temporary signs indicating special sales events, including grand
openings, business closings and special sales, not exceeding 10 square
feet. Such signs shall be posted 30 days prior and removed within
five days after the special sales event is over.
(10)
Customary warning, trespassing and posted signs.
(11)
Sandwich board signs, not exceeding three feet in height and
total area of seven square feet. Such signs may not be placed within
10 feet of any property line.
(12)
One suspended or hung banner is allowed to be placed on a commercial
facade, not exceeding dimensions of three feet by six feet or a total
of 18 square feet.
Any sign is defined as nonconforming which does not meet the requirements of this article. Any sign legally constructed and existing at the time of passage of this article that fails to comply with the minimum requirements of this article shall constitute a nonconforming use. A nonconforming sign shall not be altered, rebuilt, enlarged or extended, unless such action creates a conforming use. Article VIII, Nonconforming Uses and Structures, shall apply to nonconforming signs.
The following types of signs or artificial lighting are prohibited
in all zones:
A.
Billboards.
B.
Exposed neon tubing.
C.
Any flashing, moving or animated signs except in the CB, HC and B/A
Zone Districts.
[Amended 10-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-11]
D.
Any sign whose lighting or central mechanism causes radio or television
interference.
E.
Signs utilizing the color red, green, or yellow in their illumination
within 100 feet of a street intersection.
F.
Signs which resemble, simulate or may be mistaken for a traffic sign
within 20 feet of a roadway.
G.
Signs which are a menace to public safety.
H.
Roof signs.
I.
Signs affixed to trees, rocks or other natural things.
J.
Signs affixed or painted on water towers or similar structures.
K.
Freestanding pylon signs located in a public right-of-way or approved
sight easement.
L.
String banners, string flags, aluminum ribbons or similar attention-getting
devices, except that commercial businesses shall be allowed to hang
or suspend one banner from a structure or business as long as it is
not offensive or inappropriate. String banners strung on poles sunk
into the ground are prohibited.
All signs in Andover Township shall conform to the following:
A.
All support, braces, hooks, anchors and other fastening devices of
any sign shall be of sturdy and substantial construction, shall be
kept in good repair and shall be maintained in a clean, safe and orderly
appearance.
B.
The owner of the property upon which a sign is located shall be responsible
for maintaining the sign and its surroundings.
C.
Indirect or interior lighting is permissible provided the source
of light will not cause glare upon a street or adjacent property.
D.
Permanent signs shall be located only on the premises of the use
or activity to which they are calling attention.
E.
No sign shall be placed as to interfere with or be mistaken for a
traffic light or similar safety device.
F.
No sign shall be lighted by means of flashing or intermittent illumination.
All lights used for the illumination of any use or building or the
areas surrounding them or for the illumination or display of merchandise
or products of business establishments shall be completely shielded
from the view of vehicular traffic using the road or roads abutting
such business properties. Floodlights used for the illumination of
such premises, or of any sign thereon, whether or not such floodlights
are attached to or separate from the building, shall not project above
the highest elevation of the front wall of the building. In addition,
such signs may be allowed upon approval of a special permit therefor
issued by the Township Zoning Officer to be displayed on any property
operated by the Township (municipal building/recreation), Police Department,
Fire Department, and First Aid Squad. Any new electronic messaging
signs shall be no larger than 32 square feet per sign face and contain
no more than four lines of text, and must contain no less than a thirty-second
interval change. Any electronic messaging signs must be turned off
between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., located in any zone
district within the Township.
[Amended 10-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-14]
G.
No sign as permitted shall extend or project above the highest elevation
of the wall to which it is attached or above the height of the building
as defined in this chapter.
H.
No sign shall extend further than 15 inches from the face of the
building upon which it is attached.
I.
The area of a sign shall be computed as the total square foot content
of the background and frame upon which the lettering, illustration
or display is presented. If there is no background, the sign area
shall be computed as the product of the largest horizontal dimension
and the largest vertical dimension of the lettering, illustration
or display. Each side of a two-sided sign shall be allowed the maximum
permitted area.
J.
All signs shall be limited to noniridescent colors, including the
background, with the exception of safety and directional signs of
not more than two square feet.
A.
The following signs or similar signs require a special permit. This
permit shall be granted by the Planning Board subsequent to a finding
that the sign conforms to the intent and purposes of this article:
(1)
Signs integrated or structurally incorporated into the architecture
of a building.
(2)
Signs made of landscape materials or plantings.
(3)
Off- and on-premises directional signs.
(4)
Signs displaying time or temperature.
(5)
Temporary signs on new construction sites, except permitted signs,
and one sign not to exceed eight square feet stating the contractor's
name, address and telephone number.
(6)
Supergraphics.
(7)
Three-dimensional signs.
B.
Submission of application; requirements.
(1)
The applicant shall file, at least 14 days before the date of the regular public meeting of the Planning Board, eight copies of a site plan or plat and three copies of an application for a special permit sign, together with all other drawings and documentation required herein or by any rule of the Planning Board, with the Township Clerk. The applicant shall obtain all necessary forms from the Township Clerk. The Secretary of the Board shall inform the applicant of the steps to be taken to initiate applications and of the regular meeting dates of the Board. A fee shall accompany the application in the amount set forth in § 190-112.
(2)
Approval by County Planning Board required. All applications for
site plan approval for signs on a county road shall be submitted to
the County Planning Board for its review and recommendations and,
where applicable, approval where required by state statute or county
requirements. The applicant shall furnish proof of such submission
within 10 days of the submission of his application to the Township
reviewing board by presenting a copy of his site plan with an indication
from the county that it has been filed with the county. Any application
for site plan approval shall not be deemed complete in the absence
of proof that it has been filed with the County Planning Board, if
required. If the County Planning Board has failed to grant or deny
approval of the site plan at the time of approval of the applicant's
application, such approval shall be conditioned on approval of such
site plan by the County Planning Board.
C.
Notice and publication required. A public hearing, after proper notice and publication by the applicant in accordance with Chapter 74, Land Use Procedures, shall be held on all applications.
D.
Plat details. A complete application for a special permit sign shall
also consist of the following:
(1)
A plat or map with the following details and information:
(a)
The boundaries of the tax lot where the proposed sign is to
be located and dimensions of said lot.
(b)
The tax lot and block number of said lot.
(c)
The location of all structures within 100 feet of the proposed
sign location, including underground utilities.
(d)
The location and dimensions of the existing paved surface.
(e)
The distance from the paved surface of the road.
(f)
A sketch showing the design of the proposed sign and the dimensions
of the same. Said sketch may be contained on the same sheet as the
map showing the location of the sign but in a separate area thereof.
Said drawing shall be of sufficient size to clearly show the proposed
sign design, including the height of the lettering. The materials
to be used in the construction of the sign shall be specified thereon,
as well as sign colors.
(2)
An affidavit of ownership and consent of the property owner shall
be submitted if the applicant is not the owner of the subject property
where the sign is to be located.
(4)
The Board may require the applicant to submit a survey of the subject premises showing the location and dimension of the road right-of-way, the exact location of the proposed sign and requirements of Subsection D(1) above. Said survey shall be prepared, signed, sealed and certified to by a surveyor or engineer licensed under the laws of the State of New Jersey.
A.
No facade sign shall project higher than the highest point of the
facade of the building upon which it is to be erected, and it shall
not project more than 15 inches from the building line.
B.
Only one facade sign shall be permitted on each establishment, except
that a corner establishment may have two.
C.
A facade sign shall not exceed, in area, 15% of the total area of
the story or level of building on which it is erected or 64 feet,
whichever is lesser, and shall be designed to be architecturally compatible
with the building.
Each establishment shall be permitted only one facade sign and
only one freestanding general directory or pylon sign, provided that
such signs conform to the Schedule of Sign Regulations[1] for the districts and other applicable requirements. Directional
signs, such as "loading," "shipping" and "receiving," are permitted,
provided that they do not exceed two square feet.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Schedule of Sign Regulations is included as an attachment to this chapter.
Signs in residential districts shall conform to the applicable
requirements of this article and to the Schedule of Sign Regulations.[1]
A.
One customary professional sign or nameplate sign not more than two
square feet in area, which may be illuminated, may be permitted, provided
the direct source of light is shielded in such a manner that it is
not visible from the street or any adjoining residential property,
unless a porch light or lamppost light.
B.
A nonilluminated temporary sign, pertaining to the lease or sale
of the premises upon which it is placed, not exceeding eight square
feet, may be permitted. Such signs shall be removed within seven days
after signing the contract for sale, the signing of a sale transaction
or the execution of a lease.
C.
Subdivision developments involving six or more residential lots may
contain a sign advertising the sale of the dwellings contained therein,
as approved by the Planning Board, as follows:
(1)
One nonilluminated sign no larger than 32 square feet shall be permitted
at each entrance of the development. In addition, nonilluminated trade
and professional signs no larger than four square feet shall be permitted
on the lots being developed.
(2)
All signs permitted under this subsection shall be removed within
seven days after signing the contract of sale, signing of a sale transaction
or the execution of a lease of the last house in the development.
D.
A sign deemed necessary to the public welfare by the governing body
may be permitted. Signs for public buildings, parks and other public
community facilities shall not exceed 20 square feet.
E.
A sign, not more than 10 square feet in area, advertising the name
of a house of worship on the premises, its pastor and its coming activities
may be permitted.
F.
Agricultural uses may have the following signs:
(1)
Two signs advertising the sale and price of seasonal and farm produce,
provided the total area of such signs does not exceed 10 square feet.
(2)
One identification sign of not more than two square feet which may
be directly illuminated, stating the name of the agricultural use,
the address and the name of the owner.
G.
Permitted identification signs for a subdivision development shall
not be larger than 25 square feet at each entrance.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Schedule of Sign Regulations is included as an attachment to this chapter.
The following signs may be permitted:
A.
One freestanding or pylon sign advertising the name of the station
or garage, including any company or brand name, insignia or emblem,
provided that each sign shall not exceed 25 square feet in area and
shall be hung within the property and not less than 10 feet nor more
than 18 feet from the ground to the base of the sign.
B.
One temporary sign located inside the property line and specifically
advertising special seasonal servicing, provided that the sign does
not exceed eight square feet in area.
C.
Directional signs displayed over individual entrance doors or bays
consisting of the words "washing," "lubrication," "repairs," "mechanic
on duty" or other closely similar words shall be permitted, provided
that there shall only be one such sign over each entrance or bay,
the letters thereof shall not exceed 12 inches in height, and the
total area of each sign shall not exceed two square feet.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Schedule of Sign Regulations, which immediately followed this section, is now included as an attachment to this chapter.
